


Equality

by themadmage



Series: WTJWD-verse [12]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Activism, Activist Hermione Granger, Gen, Ghost Lily Evans Potter, House-Elf Abuse (Harry Potter), House-elf rights, POV Hermione Granger, Ravenclaw Hermione Granger, SPEW | Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare, Slytherin Harry Potter, mentioned alcoholism, nothing about us without us, sometimes your heart is in the right place but you need to learn how to go about things, that's Hermione
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-05
Updated: 2019-01-05
Packaged: 2019-10-04 16:27:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17307938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themadmage/pseuds/themadmage
Summary: Harry and Lily help Hermione to research house-elves and reformat SPEW into ERA.A companion piece in my Well That Just Won't Do universe, takes place during Book 4 between chapters 10 and 11.





	Equality

The Saturday after she reunited with Harry and spoke to him and Lily Potter about her house-elf rights organization, Hermione was ready to meet with them to speak to the house elves. She was feeling a bit awkward that Harry's mum had had to sort her out, but was grateful for their help. 

Hermione waited in the dungeons, near the Slytherin common room. She didn't remember  _exactly_ where the entrance was from the time she'd been inside in second year, but she knew she was close. A blank wall about ten meters away opened up, and Harry and his mother came out. 

"Hi, 'Mione," Harry said. Hermione greeted her friend with a hug. She'd missed him while she was sorting out her thoughts about Loo-na Lovegood. "Ready to go? I figure we'll start with the kitchens."

Hermione nodded, and the trio walked down the hall with Harry leading. "You'll meet a wide variety of house elves in the kitchens here," Lily Potter told her. "Including two who used to belong to families and were freed. Dobby, who used to belong to the Malfoys, and Winky, the elf you saw Crouch free this summer. Harry and I have been to visit them, to tell them you're coming and why. Dobby and Winky had very different reactions to receiving clothes, and I think it will be good for you to see both ends of the spectrum."

Before Hermione could decide how to reply, Harry stopped in front of a painting of a bowl of fruit and tickled the pear that was in the bowl. It actually  _giggled_ before turning into a handle so that they could enter. The magical world was still so  _strange_ sometimes, even after nearly four years. Harry stepped through the now-open portrait and gestured. "Welcome to the Hogwarts kitchens!"

 

The kitchens were bustling with activity. Tables lined the area in the same setup as the Great Hall, which Hermione figured they were nearly exactly below. The walls were lined with gleaming cookware in copper and iron, and elf-sized stoves, ovens, and sinks. It was hard to take in the details of the room, however, because  _hundreds_ of house-elves were milling about and working. 

In a corner of the room, Hermione noticed a group of six elves who were not working. Instead, they were leaning on each other and sobbing, and every one of them had one of  _her_ knitted hats. "Oh, no," she moaned. "Are they alright?"

"They is not alright. They is free," said a grumpy looking elf who had come to greet them. "I be Pitts, head elf of Hogwarts. I be not liking having you here, miss."

"I did that to them? Oh no, oh no. I was only trying to help!" Hermione broke down sobbing, while Harry and Mrs. Potter tried to comfort her. 

"What do you mean, Hermione? Hermione?"

"I- I thought they would want to be f-free," she said through her tears, "so I've been  _knitting!_ And leaving the c-clothes in the common room for the e-e-elves!" Hermione's cries became too thick to speak, then, and Harry rubbed her back. He was awkward about it, but she appreciated the effort. 

"We'll send the Headmaster down after we're done here, Pitts," Mrs. Potter said. "He'll recapture them, I'm sure, since it seems like that's what they want."

Pitts nodded, then, satisfied, and walked away. All of the elves in the room gave Hermione a wide berth, and she realized they were afraid of her. "This isn't what I wanted at  _all,_ " Hermione wailed.

It took several minutes for Hermione to calm herself. Once she did, Harry and Mrs. Potter took her to meet Dobby.

 

Dobby was the most exuberant being Hermione had ever met. Clad in multiple garish ties and no less than four of Hermione's hats, he practically bounced on his toes as they approached. "You is wanting to speak to Dobby?"

Hermione couldn't help but smile. At least someone liked her hats. "Yes, Dobby. I'm Hermione Granger, and I was hoping I could ask you some questions about house-elves?"

"Ask away, miss!"

"You used to work for the Malfoy family, right?"

"Yes, miss."

"Can I ask what that was like?"

Dobby scowled, then. The expression was so different from his previous excitement that Hermione nearly gasped. "Lucius Malfoy was a- a-"

"You can say it, Dobby," Harry said gently. 

"A bad wizard!" After making that exclamation, Dobby lunged for a wooden spoon on the wall.

Harry caught Dobby before he could grab the spoon. "He's not your master anymore, Dobby, you don't need to punish yourself."

"Yes, sir. Dobby knows, sir, but is hard."

"You just need more practice," Harry said with a grin. Dobby then seemed to notice the quizzical expression Hermione was giving him. 

"House-elves must punish ourselves when we does wrong, miss. Dobby's old family insisted on very harsh punishments, very harsh indeed, and Dobby still sometimes tries to punish himself without thinking."

"That's terrible!" Hermione said. She pulled out the notebook she'd brought along, and made a note about regulating punishment.

"Is physical punishment normal, Dobby?"

"Was normal with Dobby's old family, miss. Many families do other things."

"What about here, at Hogwarts? Do you like working here?"

"Oh, yes, miss, Dobby likes Hogwarts very much. There is always much work to do." Dobby's voice dropped low, then, as he whispered to Hermione conspiratorially. "Dobby even gets paid, miss! The other elves is saying Dobby is bad for taking wages, miss, that it is shameful, but Dobby likes it. Dobby gets paid a galleon a week and uses Dobby's wages to buy new ties!"

Hermione chose to ignore the shockingly low wage Dobby was receiving, since the elf seemed happy with it. "Do the other elves get paid?"

"No, miss. They says they is not wanting to be paid."

"What about punishments here at Hogwarts? What are they like?" Hermione asked as she made a note.

"Punishments at Hogwarts is very hard to get, miss. Orders here be easy to follow. Cook the meals, clean the dormitories, tend the fires. Is never orders for just one elf, so jobs is always being done."

"How do you decide who does what, then?"

"Elves be volunteering, and if no one be volunteering Pitts be assigning an elf. Dobby is volunteering often to clean Ravenclaw common room, because other elves is being too scared."

Tears threatened Hermione again, but she refused to cry. She'd never learn how to do better if she spent all the time they had in the kitchens focused on her mistakes. "I won't be knitting any more hats in the common room, Dobby. You can tell the other elves it's safe now."

"Dobby will tell them, miss. Dobby be liking the hats, though."

"You can have the one I haven't finished yet, when it's done I suppose."

Dobby threw his arms around Hermione's knees, nearly knocking her off balance. "Thank you, miss! Thank you!"

 

The next elf Hermione spoke to was a young female named Zilly who had been born and raised at Hogwarts. She watched Hermione with distrust, but Hermione was careful not to take offense. Apparently she had a reputation to overcome with the Hogwarts elves.

"I'd like to ask you about house-elves in general, Zilly. Is that okay?"

"Yes, miss. Zilly will tell miss what she can."

"Thank you, Zilly. Why do house-elves work for witches and wizards?"

"House-elves be honoring ancient treaty, miss, between elves and humans."

"Is the treaty written down somewhere that I could read it?"

"No, miss. Young elves is taught the treaty by their mothers."

"Can you tell me what you were taught?"

"Zilly can. House-elves work for wizards, miss, and guard their homes. Keeps their secrets and silence. Follows orders. Wizards give house-elves some of their magic, makes house-elves live longer, treats house-elves well, and house-elves get work to do."

"And you like doing the work?"

"Yes, miss. Zilly likes working very much." Hermione wrote down the details of the treaty, with a note to see if it was referenced in any laws regarding house-elves.

"What does it mean, 'keep their secrets and silence'?"

"House-elves sees everything in a house, miss. House-elves know their masters secrets, but we does not tell anyone."

"What about wizards who don't treat their elves well?"

"Some wizards is not keeping to treaty well, miss. Those wizards is not good wizards. Zilly is very happy to be at Hogwarts, away from those wizards."

"Does the treaty allow house-elves to tell someone if their family isn't keeping up the treaty?"

"Yes, miss. If wizards break treaty, elves is not needing to keep it." Hermione made a note about creating a program that would help abused elves.

"What happens to house-elves that are freed?"

Zilly narrowed her eyes at Hermione. "House elves is not living as long without wizard magic, miss, and is very sad without work to do."

"How can they find work again?"

"Freed elves must go looking, miss. They has a very hard time finding work, because wizards is not wanting an elf who has been disgraced."

"Is there no programs, like at the Ministry?"

"No, miss." 

"Would that help?"

"Yes, miss, Zilly thinks it would if elves be seeing more wizards looking for help."

"Thank you, Zilly. I think that's all of my questions."

"Miss is not freeing more elves?"

"No, Zilly, I've learned my lesson about freeing the elves."

Zilly nodded decisively, then returned to her work without a goodbye.

 

Next, Hermione saw Winky. She tried to speak to the elf, but Winky was in no condition to speak with her. "Winky is not liking being free, miss," Dobby told her from where he was tending to Winky. "Winky is very sad, is missing her master. Dobby tries to show Winky that being free can be good, but Winky is not believing Dobby."

"Dobby is a bad elf!" Winky slurred. "Winky is good, Master is needing Winky!"

"Is she- drunk?" Hermione asked as delicately as she could.

"Yes, miss. Butterbeer. Very strong for house-elves," Dobby answered sadly. 

"Is there anything we can do for her?"

Winky wailed from her place on the pile of dirty rags. "Winky is not wanting another master, miss, and Winky is not wanting to be free. Winky is very devoted to her old master. Dobby is not knowing what can be done for Winky."

 

With Pitts' permission, Harry called his family's house-elf Tippy to speak to Hermione there in the kitchen. 

"Hello, Tippy," Harry said.

"Master Harry calls?"

"This is my friend Hermione, Tippy. You've seen her at Blackwood Hall before, I'm sure. She has some questions about house-elves and about your life she wants to ask you. I want you to answer her questions honestly, okay? Not just how you think you should. If anything she asks you goes against my dad's orders, just tell us."

"Yes, Master Harry!"

"Tippy, can you tell me what you've learned about the treaty between wizards and house-elves?"

"Yes, miss!" Tippy went on to explain the exact same parameters that Zilly had, despite learning the treaty from different sources. It surprised Hermione, but also heartened her. If the house-elves were all learning the treaty the same way, it would make it difficult for people to argue that it didn't exist.

"What about your life at Blackwood Hall? What is it like?"

"Master and Master's family is very good to Tippy, miss. Tippy takes care of the house, cooks and serves the meals, and does the laundry."

"And what about punishments?"

"Tippy is a good elf, miss, Tippy is almost never punished. When Tippy is, Master tells Tippy to stand in the corner." Hermione nodded in satisfaction. That was much better than physical punishments. 

"How long has your family served the Blacks, Tippy?"

"Fourteen generations, miss!" Tippy replied proudly. "Fourteen generations Tippy's ancestors be serving the Ancient and Noble House of Black, be helping keep it Noble!"

"Where did you live while Blackwood Hall was empty? Harry's family has only lived there a few years now."

"Tippy still lived in Tippy's house, miss. Empty houses still be needing cleaning and protecting. When Tippy had no work, Tippy visited Tippy's cousins at the other Black houses and helped with work there."

"And was that enough for you?"

"Yes, miss. Is normal for houses to be empty sometimes, house-elves be finding a way. We is not leaving our houses alone, miss."

"Would you like to be able to use a wand, Tippy? If it were legal?"

"Tippy has no need for a wand, miss. House-elves is doing our magic without wands."

"Then why is there even a law prohibiting house-elves having them?" Hermione asked aloud in frustration.

"Tippy does not know, miss," Tippy replied, tugging slightly on her ear.

"I'm sorry, Tippy. I wasn't asking you. I don't expect you to know why the Ministry of Magic makes such stupid laws, I'm only frustrated." Tippy sighed in relief. "Thank you, Tippy. That's all the questions I have for you."

Tippy turned to Harry, then. "Is Master Harry needing anything else from Tippy?"

"No, Tippy. You can go home now."

"Yes, Master Harry!"

Tippy disappeared with a pop, and Harry bid Dobby goodbye before he, Hermione, and Mrs. Potter left the kitchens.

 

Their next destination was the library, so that Hermione could look back over her research on house-elves with the new information she'd learned in mind, but they took a detour to the Headmaster's office first to tell him about the freed elves. 

"You seem like you know Dobby well," Hermione said to Harry.

"I visit him sometimes. He tried to warn me about the whole Chamber thing in second year, and I empathize with him. I don't think I've ever told you all the details, but you know a little bit about what my life was like before Hogwarts."

Hermione nodded sadly. "Why is he so different from the other elves?"

"Because he was abused," Mrs. Potter answered matter-of-factly. "Dobby's experiences living with the Malfoys were awful enough that he doesn't want to be bound to another master. He knows he won't live quite as long, but he's okay with that. He still needs to work, or he'd have nothing to do, but he likes wearing clothes and getting paid so he knows he's still free to leave any time he wants to."

"And is there really nothing we can do for Winky?"

Mrs. Potter sighed heavily. "No, I don't think there is. Mr. Crouch will never take her back after freeing her, even if he wasn't under investigation right now. We can't force her to enjoy freedom, or even to bond to another family. If Winky is going to get better, it'll have to come from her."

Hermione hated that, but after thinking about it for awhile she had to concede it was true. If Winky didn't want another family, forcing her to work for one would be the exact opposite of what she was trying to do. 

"Why did Tippy call me 'miss', and you 'Master Harry'?"

"I'm a part of her family. House-elves call the heads or parents of their family Master and Mistress, and anyone else in the household by the title with their name, like 'Master Harry'. They call people who aren't a part of their family 'miss' or 'sir' out of respect."

"Should I not call them by their first names, then, if I'm not a part of their family? Respect should go both ways."

"I agree that it should, but it's normal for people to call elves by their names. I know Dobby would love it if you called him 'sir', but other elves might think you were a bit odd, or even object to it depending on their personalities. It's not what they're used to."

Hermione made a mental note to call elves with respect from now on. They could  _get_ used to it.

 

The afternoon was spent going back over the books Hermione had read on history and regulations related to house-elves. Mrs. Potter helped her to combine that knowledge with what she'd heard from Dobby, Zilly, and Tippy to ensure she wouldn't be overstepping her boundaries again. When she was finished, Hermione wrote a new set of goals for the organization she'd renamed ERA. Hermione smiled to herself as she did. It had taken some help, and she had made some mistakes, but now Hermione really was on the way towards creating better lives for house-elves.

 

* * *

 

 

_Elvish Rights Activists_

_Long-Term Organization Goals_

  1. _Spread awareness of the Wizard/House-Elf treaty which by which elves abide and its requirements for an elf's master_
  2. _Campaign for legislation against the abuse of house-elves and the enforcement of this legislation_
  3. _Campaign for the removal of unnecessary and prejudiced laws, such as non-wand use_
  4. _Create a support system within the Ministry for freed or abused elves searching for new families_
  5. _Involve house-elves in the planning and/or execution of new legislation and programs which are created for their benefit_



 

**Author's Note:**

> I made Dobby's favorite clothing ties instead of socks, because it was Harry's tie that was used to free him. I've never thought it was a coincidence that Dobby loved the first clothing he received. 
> 
> The house-elf speech patterns are really difficult to emulate. If I've slipped up and made their speech to human in places, apologies.


End file.
